Mandolin and guitar piece in celebration of summer.

Las Brisas de la Bahía

Las Brisas de la Bahía – John Edwards

Written and performed by Perthshire singer/songwriter Lins Honeyman.  Lins on lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitar, bass, piano, organ and shaker.

He's In Love Again - Lins Honeyman

This is based on traditional 'horas' played and danced at Jewish weddings. It is in 3/8 time and repeats two 8 bar themes building layers of instrumentation with each 16 bars to a climax.

Autumn Horah (Wedding Dance) - Kevin James

Bloy Hora - Ken Patterson

Mandolin improvisation on a traditional Japanese scale, with octave mandolin accompaniment.

Windfall

Windfall - John Edwards

Sunshower - John Edwards

Satie's Gnossienne (no 1) Rejigged - Chris Crick

Shearwater

Shearwater - John Edwards

The Cogneatos are: Nicholson Dimes - banjo; Gene Poole - guitar, Sally Pimento - mandolin, Al Dente - bass.

The Cowpoke's Song

The Cowpoke's Song - John Edwards and the Cogneatos

Traditional ragtimey guitar picker tune, Buckdancer's Choice, wanders off somewhere.

Wayward Dancer - John Edwards

The Tatmadaw - the Myanmar military - "defends" Burmese buddhist culture and tradition by terrorising the Burmese people. Contrapuntal buddhist meditation music is used to highlght this cruel and brutal irony. 

Al Jazeera's Tony Cheng reports from one community on the outskirts of the city of Demoso, Myanmar. February 2023.

Tatmadaw - Chris Crick

Green Sleeves - Ed Wood

Composer: John Edwards. A tone poem in diminished scales for tenor ukulele, guitars and cats.

Cats Crept into the Crypt

Cats Crept into the Crypt - John Edwards

The focus of this song is the Durham mining community with my grandad and grandma as the main inspiration. The tune is borrowed from a version of "The Water is Wide". The image is by Bill Brandt.


He rose like stone / into the rain.
His breath a ghost / his boots a chain.
He broke his loaf without a word 
And passed it on—no fuss, no lord.

She kept the fire / in ashes low, 
A kettle ticking,/ and slow to glow. 
She cleaned the wounds / no one  could see, 
Then left the room / more quietly.

The house is ash. / The pit is still. 
But something walks / against the chill— 
Not law, not pride, / not polished right, 
But hand to hand / in gutter light.

So if you ask / what doesn’t die,
 It’s not the crown / or flag or lie. 
The world still turns / on what we give— 
On how we help / the hurt to live.

The World Still Turns

A reflection upon NE England's past and present values and self image.

Life on the Geordie Shore - Ken Patterson

We'll Be Back - Ed Wood

In response to the composing task: 'Write about a memorable occasion'. I was in Havana in 2009 and found it entrancing. we stayed at Mulata Mary's  Casa particulares with a roof terrace than looks out on to the main roundabout and the river fortifications: I recommend it and Mary's welcome.

Back in Havana - Ken Patterson

Of the Island - 04:09:25, 14.23

My big moment was moving up to Newcastle 50 years ago, moving from being a primary school teacher in Scunthorpe to being an Advisory Teacher of Drama working in over thirty Newcastle primary schools - Very different, very exciting, very scary!
The song tries to capture that mix of fear and excitement. 

Fifty Years Ago Today - Kevin James

My big moment was moving up to Newcastle 50 years ago, moving from being a primary school teacher in Scunthorpe to being an Advisory Teacher of Drama working in over thirty Newcastle primary schools - Very different, very exciting, very scary!
The song tries to capture that mix of fear and excitement. 
Kevin

Steam  Train Memories - Kevin James

Memories of a trip around the world including a rail trip up to Darjeeling - only the train  times didn't suit our itinerary so we took a Range Rover full of about 20 people up a road that was falling away in sections. But the main events of the day in the town were the arrivals of the steam train, pictured at the station, here.

Chhuk Chhuk Chalti Rail Gaadi - Ken Patterson

Train of thought... - Chris Crick+Suno

Christmas seems so far from it's Christian beginnings.....  bizarre contrasts between the modern Western celebrations and what's happening in the Middle East, the original setting for the Christmas story. Field recording at the end from Newcastle's Ouseburn revellers.

It'll soon be Christmas

It'll Soon Be Christmas - Ken Patterson

Theme: machines. Composer and arranger: John Edwards.   Musicians: Mbira - Esau M Cumming, Marianna Trench, Annette Curtin. Tenor ukulele - Stradella Schweingarten, Midas Welby Spring.  Guitar - Nicholson Dimes.

Silver Swan

Silver Swan - John Edwards

1 - Skaters,   2 – Flurry of Snow,   3 – Bells,   4 - Fandango.   
Composer, John Edwards. Arranged for acoustic guitar and tenor ukulele.
During the "Little Ice Age" of the 17th-18th centuries, rivers such as the Thames could freeze over for long periods, creating space for new commercial and recreational activities.

Frost Fair

Frost Fair - John Edwards

Sandstorm

Sandstorm - John Edwards

Fade to Blue

Fade to Blue - John Edwards

Composed by John Edwards. 
Mandolin: Nicholson Dimes.   Guitar: Marianna Trench.   Ukulele: Annette Curtin.   Percussion: Carrie Oakey.   Bass: Atahualpa Robinet.   Mbira: Esau M Cumming.

When the Cat's Away

When the Cat's Away - John Edwards

Is this about a romance made impossible by the Cold War? John's mournful, soulful guitar makes us think of a cold, cloudy afternoon in Minsk punctuated by thoughts of the beautiful Katya.

Blues For Katya

Blues For Katya - John Edwards

In the alternating tone/semitone  or octatonic half-whole diminished scale. East meets west. With deep respect for Erik Satie

Ancient Evenings

Ancient Evenings - John Edwards

In the west of Ireland, Achill Island faces out to the thunderous Atlantic. The island diverts just enough of the waves to create a short stretch of relative calm between itself and mainland: Achill Sound.

Achill Sound - Chris Crick

Ambient seascape improvisation with ukulele, flugel, cello and double D whistle.

Ken Patterson's Album

The Second Wave? Ken Patterson

Acoustic guitar tune I composed and recorded in 2013. It's broadly in the form of a barcarolle in 6/8 time.

Skyline Drive

Skyline Drive - John Edwards

piece  in 7/4 time for acoustic instruments: 3 guitars, tenor ukulele, Jews harp, and 2 mbira (African thumb piano). 

The Temple under Water - John Edwards

Tunesmiths is a collective of composers who every couple of months write a piece of music in response to challenge. December: TRAIN THEME,. September: a piece about a memorable time in your life. August: The NE England: its past and future. June: A special place. April: Sycamore. February: Detective ThemeNovember: Green. Sept.  Ghostly Themes. July: LANDSCAPE May: PARTY CITY.
March: Ancient Elements.
Jan: take a known theme and arrange in in a new way.
New Challenge for October / November a piece inspired by an artwork.  August / September '23: compose a piece based upon a descending bassline.  
Summer Challenge:a piece inspired something in the news.
April / May Challenge: a cover version with a new arrangement.
Previous challenges this year:  Hazy days of Summer, New Orleans, Jubilee Music, 'Furniture Music' as inspired by Erik Satie. Ambient background music.
December 21, challenge: a composition or arrangement conveying a mood, emotional state.
Autumn challenge '21: a hora using a Klezmer scale, Winter: a piece inspired by a book.
May June: an arrangement in a particular style of another composer or genre.
Challenge for Jan/Feb Carnival, March/ April American presidents.

October - November : Autumn Leaves
July - Septembber A Sea Composition
April- June Time passing
Task for Feb / March: composition about the animal world.
January: an ICY composition.
Nov / Dec: A Latin tune. Task for September / October:  Music with a poem as a startling point.
June July 2019 A Cajun inspired piece
April May 2019 A composition about myths and legends.
February March 2019 A song with chord structure I V V I. November / December 2018: a piece in 7/8.
Task for October: music to chill to.
Task for August / September: Write a piece of music influenced by someone else - ideally a friend, colleague or family member.  The influence could be a saying that that person always uses or a snatch of a melody they always hum. June July 2018 The theme of travel: a journey, trip, jaunt, ride, voyage, flight, walk, stroll, train journey, etc,
April May 2018 An piece using slowly changing ostinato. 
March 2018, a percussion-led piece.
Present composing task: a piece with a sense of place. November: Telephone hold music, or its impact on the listener.
Sept /October: 'A composition based upon a single chord or motif'' ....... Listen to 'Tunesmiths' who set each other composing tasks throughout the year and share the results of their work here……. any one can take up the challenge…. let us know if you want to post a composition

2017 August: 'Dementia'
2017 June: 'Something in the news'
2017 March: a composition with an irregular time signature.
2017 Jan: write a  piece inspired by the wind. 
2016 Nov Winter: Fandango
2016 Oct Challenge:Machine Music
2016 Sept Challenge: Classical Cheese
2016 Aug Challenge: Night Music
2016 July Challenge: a Tarantella
2016 June Challenge: a Reggae
2016 May Challenge: a blues
2016 March Challenge. Write in the style of your music hero
2016 January Challenge: Write in the form of 'La Folía' 
2015 December Challenge: Christmas single
2015 November Space Music
2015 September Challenge: a Waltz
2015 Summer Challenge: 'Minimalist Music'
2015 June challenge: 'Dance Music'
2015 April challenge: a piece with Indian feel
2015 February Composing Challenge A piece about water.
2014 Nov. Composing Challenge:  a piece of music that consists of only percussion and the human voice

Tunesmiths

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